The End is Just the Beginning
by FeeBe
Summary: Everyone in the wizarding world knew about soul mates. Well accept the Muggleborns and...well accept for Harry. Sequel up- The Headmaster's Office


Everyone in the wizarding world knew about soul mates.

1 month after your seventeenth birthday you would begin to feel 'the pull'. A tension that indicated the location of your soul mate. It was theorised that it started at that time so that the body had time to adjust to the final stages of magical development that occurred when the magically inclined came of age.

The strength of the pull was directly proportional to the distance they were away from you. This meant that when soul mates who had been separated by a continent where placed in the same room the force could literally pull them to each others side. Conversely soul mates who had been in the same county and one had left to travel the world the sensation decreased into imperceptbility.

Sadly it wasn't spoken about in polite society (Pureblood) as it seemed uncouth to mention the person who would literally complete your soul when you were inevitable betrothed to someone else. Therefore, the muggleborns were sadly unaware unless they were soul mates with a partner who was happy to bond with a muggleborn and willing to explain it to them.

Harry had not even noticed the vague ache in his chest when it started. By one month after his seventeenth birthday he, Ron and Hermione were holed up in Grimmauld place having just escaped from Death Eaters at Bill and Fleur's wedding and then Tottenham Court road. In the following months when they were on the run, they were hungry, sore and tired the whole time and each pain indistinguishable from the rest. It wasn't until they reached the Hogshead that he noticed.

_A tiny white dot appeared at the end of the tunnel, and now Ariana was walking back towards them, growing bigger and bigger as she came. But there was someone else with her now, someone taller then she was, who was limping along looking excited._

_Then the whole thing swung forwards on the walk like a little door, and the entrance to a real tunnel was revealed. And out of it, his hair overgrown, his face cut, his robes ripped clambered the real Neville Longbottom, who gave a roar of delight, leapt down from the mantelpiece and yelled, "I knew you'd come! I knew it Harry!"_

Harry's hand lifted from his side reaching out to Neville in an unconscious act, until with a shake f his head he pulled it in to his chest and rubbed at the tight feeling in his sternum that made it hard to breathe. Nevilles eyes caught his and the taller boy smiled as he stepped forward to embrace his friend. With a deep breath and a sigh Neville withdrew, knowing now was not the time. There was still a dark lord to be defeated.

Voldemort had called him out. After seeing Snape's memories he now knew what had to be done. Like a lamb to the slaughter. If he had any mirth left in him he would have laughed bitterly. Not even worth being raised in a loving home, worth less than an animal, that's all he had ever been to Dumbledore.

_He moved down the steps and out into the darkness. _That strange feeling drew him on. He could have walked the other way to the forest, but some…thing, made him come this way. _Neville was bending over another body. _

Without looking up he spoke, '_Blimey, Harry, you nearly gave me heart failure!'_

Harry wanted nothing more than to step back into the warmth of Neville's arms, and even took a half step in the older boys direction, before pushing the thought aside. What was it Dumbledore said? _"It doesn't do to dwell on dreams Harry." _And wasn't that ironic now, that there was no living left to be done. It didn't take a moment to ask Neville for his help killing Nagini and then to turn back to the forest, leaving those eyes burning holes in the back of his cloak.

_'__Avada Kedavra'_

_'__Expelliarmus'_

_Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane finality, his body feeblenand shrunken, the white hands empty, the snake-like face vacant and unknowing._

_Voldemort was dead. Harry stood with two wands in his hand, staring down at his enemy's shell._

The battle was over, the war was won. Why then did Harry feel so…dead? It wasn't him that had died. Well he had but he got better. He rubbed his sternum again and leaned against the castle wall as he looked into the Great Hall. Thankfully, for the moment no one was paying him any attention, he glanced through the castle entrance into the odd morning light. The one of the wooden doors had been blown to pieces and the other had been ripped off by one of the giants at some point in the battle and was now floating on the lake like an oddly shaped raft. With a groan he hoisted himself off the wall and walked down the steps and out of the castle.

A half demolished tree trunk lay on its side across the lawn just south of where Hagrid's hut used to be. He clambered up onto it, enjoying the piece and watching the sun rise. The ache in his chest grew the longer he sat there and soon eclipsed all other feeling. Perhaps he should go and see Madam Pomphrey. His hand subconsciously raised to rub his chest. Maybe it was indigestion.

"Harry," his name was called softly, he assumed they had intended not to startle him.

"Nev?" Ah that ache, surely it was too strong to be reflux, maybe he had been hit with a curse and hadn't noticed.

"Yeah. You ok?" the not so subtle tone of concern made him turn to the speaker. Harry winced and rubbed his chest again.

"Yeah," the breath caught in his chest. He wished whatever giant was sitting there would move so he could breath. "I…"

"Harry, be honest with me." When did Neville learn to speak with that tone of command?

"I…. It hurts Nev," Harry gave in. "Right here."

He slammed his hand against his sternum, and lifted it to repeat the action. Neville's fingers wrapped around his wrist and prevented him from doing so.

The world stopped.

A fresh wind started in the forest.

It blew across the lake and over the lawn ruffling the messy nest of dark hair.

The pressure lifted.

He could breathe.

"What?" Harry turned his confused gaze to Neville.

"Later," Neville reassured, "I'll tell you later." The taller boy drew Harry to his chest and held him close. "For now, just breath Harry. He's gone, the war is over."

Harry melted into the embrace.

"And it's a whole new world.


End file.
